The CM was suffering from a terrible lung infection and has recovered well over a period of two months. She had a tracheostomy, which is a surgical process in which an opening is made to the trachea for effective breathing

Jayalalithaa was on ventilator support for weeks together and is now able to breathe 90% of the time without life support. (PTI)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who was suffering from a terrible lung infection has recovered well over a period of two months. She had a tracheostomy, which is a surgical process in which an opening is made to the trachea for effective breathing. She is speaking now for few minutes at a time using speakers at Chennai’s Apollo hospital, where she has been admitted since September 22.

Apollo chairman, Dr Prathap Reddy, said that Jayalalithaa was on ventilator support for weeks together and is now able to breathe 90% of the time without life support. The next target for the chief minister will be to start walking. “She’s absolutely well. She will decide when she will go home,” said Dr Reddy, repeating what he has been saying in his past few medical reports.

She was kept under special treatment at the ventilator and looked after by several teams of doctors that include a specialist doctor from UK at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for almost two months. She has been shifted last weekend to a special room which has larger space where she can meet well-wishers and party people.

Last week, the chief minister, from her hospital bed described her recovery as a “rebirth” and said she is “waiting to fully recover and resume work soon”.
Earlier this week, her party AIADMK won the Tamil Nadu by-elections. She celebrated this victory by saying, “The by-poll victory gives me boundless joy and enthusiasm.” State’s Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, who is her trusted aide and AIADMK senior leader; is presently heading the cabinet meetings and is looking after eight ministries that Jayalalithaa personally looks after.